This page was last updated on October 19, 2012.
The 7 Biggest Economic Lies; Randy Shannon; Progressive Democrats of America – PA 12th CD Chapter; October 15, 2012.
You can learn more about BCR’s leftster management here.
From 2004 to 2008, the BCT published at least 17 letters from Mr. Shannon. I found none since 2008. You can find my critiques of those letters here, here, here, here, and here. In addition to what you learned about Mr. Shannon’s positions here and in his letters to the editor, consider the following exchange on a fellow BCR member’s Facebook wall (9/27/11).
Lefty #1: “Capitalism has to go. Merely taxing/regulating always fails in the end.”
Mr. Shannon: “Divide and conquer. Take down the crazy bankers first.”
The most recent previous Randy Shannon piece I critiqued was “Banksters Turn against Obama.”
Mr. Shannon posted a video entitled “Robert Reich - 7 Lies” but provided no commentary.
The first clue Robert Reich’s rebuttal of the alleged “lies” would be somewhat less than rigorous was when he said, “Here are the seven biggest economic whoppers and the facts in two minutes, 30 seconds.” It’s fair to say a credible rebuttal would take more than 22 seconds per alleged “lie.” The second clue is at the end when you learn MoveOn.org Civic Action produced the video. The video doesn’t mention the source(s) of the alleged “lies,” so I’m guessing they are concoctions of Mr. Reich and/or MoveOn.org.
I almost don’t know what to say. Mr. Reich is a well-educated man with significant experience who must know what he said is wrong. Mr. Reich and MoveOn.org must hope those who view this video will be uncurious and will make no attempt to think through and verify the assertions. One way or another, over the years I’ve addressed all of the claims Mr. Reich made and shown them to be bogus. For example, Mr. Reich stated his support for a government-run, taxpayer-funded healthcare monopoly (“Medicare for All”), claiming “Medicare’s bargaining leverage” would help reduce healthcare costs. (You’ll note Mr. Reich didn’t tell us why “healthcare costs are rising.”) When there’s only one customer and that customer is the U.S. government, “bargaining leverage” becomes leftyspeak for government price controls, and price controls never work. Ultimately, price controls result in less supply (more severe rationing) as suppliers (doctors, nurses, hospitals, pharmaceutical businesses, medical device manufacturers, etc.) move, either directly or via attrition, into more profitable lines of business. While using price controls might reduce government healthcare spending, would any of us really want the resulting product?
If you would like me to address any other points in the Reich video, please let me know.
In Peace, Friendship, Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity. <g>
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